ZANTEA CHRONICLES: THE DREAM DOMINATOR

After Methexis, Verbal Delirium, Naxatras and Residuos Mentales, here's Forbidden Myth, another interesting current prog band from Greece, with an epic rock project by Greek songwriter and keyboardist Antonis Adelfidis. The story of their album is entitled Zantea Chronicles : The Dream Dominator, based upon the fantasy world created by Myrto Gregoriadi. The music features 8 vocalists who take up the roles of the protagonists, and is dominated by keyboards, without guitars. The album contains 2 CD's with both 10 tracks, between 3 and 9 minutes.

The musical climates in the 20 tastefully arranged tracks shift between dreamy and slow rhythms to mid-tempo beats and sumptuous outbursts, and range from symphonic rock to melodic rock and Heavy Prog, but the sound is more bombastic than heavy, due to the omnipresent powerful vintage keyboards layers, and the absence of guitars.

The colouring with a variety of vintage keyboards delights me, from Morish sounding in Sirin Ablaze (Vintage Keyboard Heaven) to omnipresent Mellotrons (lots of choirs, along the violin and flute section)) and spectacular Minimoog flights (with strong Rick Wakeman hints in The Exlied), pretty overwhelming, wow! But also the Wurlitzer piano, Vox Continental organ (The Doors flavour in Rotting King), and even the distinctive sounds of a Theremin (exciting blend of synthesizers, Theremin and Mellotron choirs in the final part of Epilogue of Forgiveness) and the beautiful sound of the vibradoneon in The Revelation Of Truth. He is fuelled by The Swede his drum beats, often powerful and dynamic.

Although there is no guitarplay on this album in some tracks I hear guitar riffs, I asked Antonis about that, he answered "I have no guitars in the record. I played the rhythm parts with a Hammond through Marshall and Leslie amps." Interesting! And: "the most beautiful parts of the record (pianos, vibradoneon, Theremin, Minimoog and combo organ solos) are played by my friend and teacher, George Katsanos. He is a classical trained pianist and he was graduate from Berklee college of music. He is one of the best multi-instrumentalists out there and he plays in the new album too!"

The 8 singers of the Forbidden Myth project sound at least decent but in a few tracks some male singers lack a bit expression, while the female singers are good to very good. But to me this doesn't sound disturbing, mainly due to prime mover Antonis Adelfidis his writing skills and overwhelming keyboard work, in collaboration with George Katsanos, what a masters, from majestic Mellotron choirs and tender Grand piano to sensational Minimoog flights with pitchbend or a swinging electric piano solo, really impressive. A strong debut, what's next?

My rating: 3,5 star.